Watermelon: healthy or sugar bomb? Here comes the answer

At over 30 degrees in the shade, there are only a few things you want to eat. The sweat runs over the face, it actually only favors me for one thing: watermelon. It should be red, juicy and sweet – preferably out of the fridge. I hardly combine a fruit so much with brooding hot summer days and holiday spires on markets in Italy or Croatia. The countless oval balls are stacked on small, colorful stands of the south, some have grown so great that you can hardly wear them alone.

A little later you look a little like Batman’s joker, with red smeared mouth and cheeks on which pulp is still sticking. You have to sink the face completely into the crescent -shaped column in order to scratch the last rest of the sweet meat. Of course, this is more elegant, but it’s less fun. Some remove the seeds with a knife beforehand. You never reach all, the rest are “Pfüh”, “Pfüh”, “Pfüh” spit on the lawn.

The preference for melons seems universal: with a world production of 100 million tons, the watermelons after tomatoes take second place of all types of vegetables. Vegetables? Really read! Like pumpkin, zucchini and cucumber, watermelons actually belong to the family of pumpkin plants.

Most grow on the fields of Asia, and they probably come from Africa. They are said to have cultivated them in Egypt 4000 years ago, at least they suggest seeds in old graves. At that time it was probably already appreciated for their high water content, which should have been an advantage, especially during dry times. Thousands of generations of selective breeding needed it to turn the bitterly tasting wild variant with hard pulp the sweet refreshment that accompanies us through the summer. There are hundreds of varieties of different watermelons today. However, only a few are traded internationally. Particularly frequently you can find “Sugar Baby” (deep red, juicy pulp and dark green shell) and “Crimson Sweet” (striped green on the outside, full of light red).

Even a political issue is the watermelon: with its colors (green, red, white and black) it became a symbol of solidarity in 1967 with the Palestinians and the expression of the protest. At that time, Israel had banned the use of the Palestinian flag in the occupied areas after the Six Day War. Since then, they have been seen as a poster on demonstrations, as stickers on cars or as an emoji on social media. But not only the colors connect the people to the melon. The fruits are grown in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip and are a non -distinguishing staple in Palestinian cuisine.

She lives up to her name because it actually consists of more than 90 percent of water, which makes it an ideal thirst quencher. But even though it tastes wonderfully sweet, it contains only about 6 grams of sugar per 100 grams of pulp. With 37 calories for the same amount, you don’t have to worry if you access several times.

The small, dark seeds can also be eaten contrary to all prejudices. Among other things, they contain fiber that support digestion. There is also a lot of good in the pulp: vitamin A approximately as well as vitamin B5, B6 and vitamin C. In addition there are a number of different minerals.

It is often referred to your citrulline content. The amino acid is converted into arginine in the body and influences the width of the blood vessels. So she should be able to help to lower blood pressure in a natural way. However, the highest concentration is in the shell. Lycopin is still a substance that is said to have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system. The dye gives the pulp of most watermelons its red color. But he can do even more: As a secondary plant substance, it has an anti -inflammatory effect and can make free radicals harmless that can lead to damage to the cells. Lycopine are attributed to numerous health -promoting properties.

However, there are no good studies that show a particularly positive effect from watermelon pleasure on health. You will not be able to replace medication either. As part of a balanced diet, you can still be good for vascular health and prevent some damage in combination with other foods.

For most, however, it is about the taste anyway – and it can fluctuate significantly. The real watermelon connoisseurs can be quickly identified in the supermarket. As soon as you have the melon in your arms, turn it around in a flash to catch a look at a small, bright spot. It marks the place where the melon was in contact with the floor during its growth and is an important indication: the yellow the stain, the more mature the fruit. Then the knock follows. The ear comes close to the melon. While the fingers carefully drum on the bowl, the buyers listen to an answer as expected. Only after a satisfied nod does the fruit end in the shopping cart. What happens there? A duller, full of sound during the knock test, indicates a ripe, juicy fruit. If it sounds brightly out of the melon, it is still immature.